| On the previous page we have studied a corner tool, that appears to be a Douceur tool, we can call it d-11-5. It appears on a possibly 1747 binding, and again here on a 1753 Plumet. On this page I want to tackle the central fleuron in this corner that Barber has catalogued as FL 73. In several years of cataloguing tools from Louis Douceur bindings I did not encounter this fleuron. |
| In Comparative Diagram 1, we see Barber's 2013 FL 73 catalogue entry as well as an example from our eBay Plumet. Barber references W.Cats 336, 422, 434. On the binding of W.Cat.422 we can clearly see this imprint. I have previously documented this as a Plumet binding (see this) even though Barber attributes it to Louis Douceur. Below I show a corner detail from W.Cat.422 as well as Barber's notes and information about it. This is really interesting and important because he states that this is Douceur binding on the evidence of the "left-facing and recumbent Lambs and the houlette (DST 17. 18. 28)" which he has previously observed on signed Douceur bindings. Thus confirming our idea that Plumet tools are found mixed with those of Douceur. |
| In Comparative Diagram 2, I show matching imprints from W.Cat.422 and our eBay Plumet. I have detailed this imprint on the page linked above. Barber did not notice that this was a single tool complete with satellite dots as well as ringed dot, and not a pair of mirrored imprints as he has illustrated them, and thus could not be in his catalogue system with a "FR" designation, however we can catalogue this imprint p-65. This is another Plumet tool that is not seen anywhere to my knowledge in uniquely Louis Douceur decorations although he may have had a similar tool. |
| In Comparative Diagram 4, we see Louis Douceur imprints d-46a and d-46b, extracted from high resolution scans. I have detailed these tools and their variations previously (see this) |
| In Comparative Diagram 5, I show a corner detail from a Louis Douceur binding that we previously detailed (see this) I can say with a great deal of confidence that this binding is certainly a Douceur and therefore the imprints found here on our eBay Plumet derive also from these Douceur tools. |
| In Comparative Diagram 6, we see the same details in these imprints that come from our eBay Plumet and Douceur binding 54, a 1749 Henault with the same corner tool and pallet as another 1749 Henault (detailed here) The fact that these imprints share these common, barely visible details allows us to be very confident that these imprints derive from the same Louis Douceur tool. Note also the W.Cat.422 examples of a similar but not identical tool, stranger than fiction is the fact that Barber never found or catalogued the original Douceur tool shown here as d-46a and d-46b. We might assume that the variants found on the W.Cat.422 binding are actually imprints from Plumet tools. The small defect indicated by the yellow arrows must have occurred after 1749 as it does not appear in the 1749 Henault No. 54. |
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click here to see the INDEX of the 2017 pages. click here to return to the HOME page. see below links to previous work |
| Even experts are sometimes wrong, before you spend thousands on a book, please do your own research! Just because I say a certain binding can be attributed to le Maitre isn't any kind of guarantee, don't take my word for it, go a step further and get your own proof. In these pages I have provided you with a way of doing just that. |
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